Notes

In response to a letter submitted by gCaptain to the US Coast Guard Headquarters, LT Anna Dixon, Public Affairs Officer for the Eleventh District responded with the following information regarding the USCG’s response to the latest wave of Panga landings:

As you might expect, we can’t directly address your question about the frequency or location of law enforcement patrols in and around Estero Bay; we have to keep the edge on the bad guys.

The Coast Guard and a long list of federal, state and local agencies are all involved in counter-smuggling surveillance and interdiction along the border and up the California coast. We have partnered with CBP and other federal, state, and local agencies to create Regional Coordinating Mechanisms (ReCoM) in San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco and these partnerships have really served to make us more effective in our pursuit of criminal activity.

We’re aware of shifts in tactics by smugglers and are coordinating changes to our operations appropriately. Vessels, aircraft, and vehicles from many agencies and locations are assigned to cover various areas so there may be patrols occurring in your area that are not obvious to the public. Rest assured that we are using every resource available to patrol the region and intercept smuggling vessels.

As I’m also sure you are aware, the California coastline is a large area to cover. The Coast Guard and other law enforcement can’t be everywhere all the time, so we ask mariners, the public — and your audience — to report any suspicious activity to the Coast Guard or 911 so we and our partners can investigate any targets that may have avoided detection of authorities.